WAITING FOR GUFFMAN

SYNOPSIS:
Corky St. Clair (Christopher Guest) is basically a no-talent
milksop with a bad haircut, a would-be stage director and
choreographer who considers himself burned out on the
off-off-off-off-off Broadway scene that chewed him up and spat
him out in New York City. Retreating to the hamlet of Blaine,
Missouri, Corky has found refuge mounting such locally-acclaimed
and absurd productions as a stage musical of the firefighting
thriller, Backdraft . Now, Blaine's powers-that-be have handed
him the opportunity of a lifetime: producing and directing a
musical, a tribute to the town's 150th anniversary. Drawing upon
a handful of Blaine residents to comprise his singing, dancing
cast, Corky throws himself body and soul into a staged review of
the town's historical highlights. (Among these is the founding of
Blaine by California-bound, 19th century pioneers who believed
they'd arrived at the West Coast because they could smell the
ocean.) Corky has a quiet but potentially rivalrous musical
director (Bob Balaban) to contend with, and his wide-eyed players
are all heart and no skill. Open auditions result in a talented
local cast including Dr Peark, the dentist (Eugene Levy), travel
agents Ron and Sheila Albertson (Fred Willard and Catherine
O’Hara), Dairy Queen counter girl Libby Mae Brown (Parker
Posey), a local mechanic (Matt Keeslar) and a retired taxidermist
(Lewis Arquette). The chance for Corky’s return to Broadway
is the promise of Mr Guffman’s attendance at the
performance, Mr Guffman being a scout for the Oppenheimer
Organisation. Big dreams are born.

"The mockumentary approach is not original, but the way
Guest does it is: the ‘putting on a show’ to find
happiness is not original, but Guest’s version is. The idea
of a small town cast with pretentions to theatrical grandeur is
very un-original, but again, Guest’s verve and versatile
imagination rescues the plot. All because the ideas are fresh.
Just as we are thinking we’ve seen this all before, Guest
introduces a new take on the old scenes, partly through the
anarchic freedom he gives hiw own gay character as Corky, partly
through the believable ordinariness of the townfolk - who make us
squirm with the delight of recognition and incredulity. These are
not caricatures imagined by a writer grabbing the obvious. These
folk are hilarious because they are real. Or seem so. Their
peculiarities are amusing because they are minimal, not
overblown, like the travel agent who at first reluctantly, later
with far more zest than is required, admits he has only ever left
Blaine once, and then to go to a slightly bigger town for an op
on his privates. (I’ll leave out the exact details for your
greater titilation at the cinema.) In short (and at 84 minutes,
it is), this is a very funny film with a daring difference: it
lets us laugh at the characters without malice."
Andrew L. Urban

"The film was largely improvised, and is a gem, a genuine
comic masterpiece that is audacious in an industry so full of
repetition. Guest, who co-conceived and directed the film, gives
a wonderful, over-the-top performance, and his final sequence on
screen will leave you in stitches. Eugene Levy, a talent so
rarely seen on screen, is brilliant as the dentist, while the
delightful Parker Posey shows tremendous comic skill. But it's
Guest's triumph from beginning to end, in this mock documentary
crafted with intelligence, wit and its own unflappable style.
Don't wait for Guffman to disappear. You'll laugh till you
cry."
Paul Fischer

"Fresh, compelling and very funny, Christopher
Guest’ film has a lot of heart. Guest brings together a
talented cast which spontaneously delivers. It’s a fun
encounter as we get involved in the lives of these very ordinary
people, who are earnestly serious about their talent and
contribution. The early documentary structure and approach
endears us quickly to the players and we quickly think we have
some empathy for the town of Blain and its residents. Each
character plays it straight with childish and infectious
enthusiasm and good humour. Look out for a very funny scene in
the chinese restaurant, when the intimate discussion between the
broadminded travel agents and the prudish jewish dentist and his
wife gets totally out of hand. Catherine O’Hara and Eugene
Levy are especially wonderful to watch. There are lots of funny
lines; Waiting for Guffman is a light-hearted feel-good film that
will put a smile on your face, and a skip in your stride. We
never feel, however, that these characters are the object of our
ridicule, but we laugh gently along with them, as genuine good
natured human beings with soul."
Louise Keller